


What's The Worst that Could Happen?

by LonelyGormagander



Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Bratty!Shuri, F/M, Jealous!Bucky, Jealous!Shuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-05-13 13:47:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19252441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonelyGormagander/pseuds/LonelyGormagander
Summary: Shuri and Bucky have feelings for one another, but they feel like they cannot pursue a relationship. What happens when they pursue other people? Really, what's the worst that could happen?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping to get a few of chapters posted.  
> Thanks for reading, 
> 
> Your Ecstatic Writer.

To say that James Buchanan Barnes had been out of the game for a while was an understatement. The last date he was on was before he was shipped off to war all those years ago. And in the time in between, the times where he was either frozen or brainwashed, he never had the desire to find female companionship. However, now that he had settled into a peaceful life in Wakanda, it could very well happen. When he saw the King and Nakia walking the palace ground hand-in-hand, or an elderly couple sharing an afternoon coffee in the market; those moments tugged at his heart. He felt that tugging in a more pronounced way whenever his eyes lingered on the Princess when he thought no one was watching.

He had grown fond of her. Who was he trying to kid? It was beyond fondness, at that point. He was smitten with her. The smart, witty, beautiful young woman who had healed him. The young woman whom he had spent more time with than anyone else while he was taking refuge in Wakanda. The young woman who filled his heart with so much happiness that he thought it might actually burst. The Princess, whom he knew he could never be with.

When he found himself engrossed and hanging on to her every word, even if he did not understand all of her technical jargon. When she found her own playful teasing of him to be hilarious, and would laugh so hard and so loudly that his face actually hurt from smiling at her. When she would send him silly messages with references he did not get, but seeing her name flash on his screen made his heart skip a beat. When any of these things happened, he was reminded of how much he cared for her, and while he had never been in love before, he imagined it must have felt something like that.

But they could never be together. She was of royal blood, and he was damaged goods. She had her whole life ahead of her, and he sometimes felt like he was always looking in his rear-view mirror at the past. Shuri, Princess of Wakanda. Beautiful, innocent, brilliant Shuri, who made his heart swell with joy, but at the same time, left him feeling melancholy because nothing could ever happen between them. He resigned himself to that fact when his friends visited and Sam told him to ease up on the staring.

“We’re the muscle, dude,” he had said. “The help. The ones with the guns and the skills. We stay in the background, and do the shooting when the shit hits the fan. We get everyone to safety, but we don’t get the girl. Especially if she’s royalty.”

And his buddy was right. He had a job to do, and he would do it. He would protect the Princess, and honor his debt to the King, and he would bury his feelings for her deep down inside. He was good at it. Hiding away his pain and disappointment one more time could not hurt.

His other friend Steve was always encouraging about him having a flourishing love life, though he didn’t pursue one himself (Bucky figured they had the same problems of being out of place in the wrong time).

He thought back to their recent phone conversation:

_“Is there anyone you can ask?” said Steve._

_“Maybe, I don’t know.”_

_“Well, pal, it’d be good for you,” he said with a reassuring tone. "What's the worst that could happen?"_

_Bucky sighed and then said, “Truth is, the person I want to ask in unavailable.”_

_“What, is she married? That ain’t a good idea, Buck.”_

_“Don’t be silly, Stevo. It’s nothin’ like that. This gal, she’s just. She’s just, out of my league.”_

_“Ain’t no such thing,” Steve replied. “But if that’s how you feel, maybe go for someone else, just to get back into the swing of things.”_

So, Bucky asked out a woman named Nahemi, and she said yes. She worked at the beauty shop that the Princess frequented. She’s sweet, good looking, and always encouraged him to join in on conversations they were having. He thought she might be nice to spend some time with; easy going and easy on the eyes. They could have some fun, he mused. She might even be able to get the Princess off his mind for an hour or two. And it was finally the day of their scheduled date. He was feeling excited and hoped he would be excused from duties a little sooner than usual so that he might prepare.

___

He checked the time on the wall once more just before Okoye showed up. She had agreed to relieve him for a little while. Everyone was slightly on edge since a convoy of people from North America were touring the city. Opening their borders meant a lot of new people were visiting from all over the world. If the meeting with the North Americans went well, the whole region would allow for international students to attend Wakandan universities. It was Shuri’s idea to share their knowledge and education with others. But allowing people in, even with the best intentions was always a security risk. Bucky hated to leave Shuri’s side at a moment when security was heightened.  

“Okoye,” Shuri greeted happily. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d be with my brother at the meetings.”

“Ayo has it covered,” Okoye replied. “I’m here to make sure you get home safe and sound.”

“I’ve got Bucky,” Shuri said. “But thank you.”

“Oh, he didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” she asked, looking up from her screen.

“The White Wolf needs to go soon, Princess. He has, how the Americans say, a hot date.”

Shuri’s eyes grew wide as she turned to face her guard. Her heart felt like it has jumped up into her throat.

“Really, Sergeant?”

“It’s just dinner,” he said, as if to shrug it off.

“And dancing,” said Okoye gleefully. She had grown fond of the White Wolf as they had worked together many times. She hoped that he would find happiness just as he had found peace.

“I didn’t know you danced, Buck,” said Shuri with genuine surprise.

“I used to dance a lot, in another lifetime,” he offered, somewhat plaintively. “Who knows, maybe we’ll skip the dancing tonight.”

“Less dancing, more romancing, eh?” said Okoye with a laugh.

“We’ll see,” said Bucky as he stole a glance at the Princess whom he swore looked disappointed as she busied herself with packing her work away.

“You’re free to go, Sergeant Barnes,” she said, without looking up at him, and he felt a deep pang of guilt settle into his heart.

 

\---

Shuri felt as if she had spent a good forty-five minutes scrolling through Netflix and looking for something to watch. Nothing there really interested her as sat on the edge of her bed. It wasn’t like the young woman had much of a social life outside of her official duties as princess, scientist, and philanthropist, so she often spent downtime watching movies or television shows. As of late, she did that with Bucky. He wasn’t interested in watching action films, or any of the violent shows that seemed to be popular at the present time, so they would end up watching cartoons and romcoms That night, however, her viewing buddy was off on a date.

The Princess exhaled and fell backwards onto her bed. She didn’t even realize that he was interested in dating. That he _was_ dating. That he had any other interests outside of his work. Sure, he tended to his goats and his small crops when he was not acting as bodyguard to her. She sighed loudly and pushed the feeling of jealousy down to the pit of her stomach. He deserved to have some fun and happiness in his life, she was just sad that it wasn’t with her.

After a moment, she checked the time on her phone, and then opened her messages. The scrolled past one from her brother and mother, and found a thread from Bucky. The last message read: _Hardy har har_ after she had sent a picture of some character from a video game she liked whom she said resembled Bucky. She was sure he didn’t understand half of the references to memes and such things that she sent him, but he still humored her all the same.

He would never write lol or even ha ha ha; it was always hardy har har. It was endearing how some of his speech still sounded like he was back in the 40s. Shuri sighed. _Everything_ about him was endearing. She had admitted to herself some time ago that she had what her mother would call a silly schoolgirl crush. But she was not a school girl, and she knew it was deeper than that. Still, she would not act on her feelings. She would not jeopardize Bucky’s life in Wakanda by bringing him under the scrutiny of her family and the council.

She was thinking too much again. Shuri let out another sigh, opened the group chat, and typed something before hitting send. Maybe Peter was online, or Tshepo had nothing better to do on a Friday night, too. She then tossed her phone on the bed and made her way to the kitchen to stock up on popcorn and sweets before she found a sad romance film to watch and fall asleep to.

___

Soft music played in the background of the restaurant as Bucky and Nahemi waited for the main course to arrive. The date was going well so far, even though there were moments of awkwardness as their conversation lulled, not because of Nahemi, but because Bucky was a little rusty. His phone buzzed in his pocket, so he reached for it and offered his date an apology.

“Sorry,” he said. “It’s just my line of work means I’m always on call.”

“It’s fine,” she replied.

Bucky slid his finger across the screen when he saw the notification was from the Princess in the group chat he had access to, but never used. Her words sent a panic rushing through his body as he read them: _Send help!_

___

“Damn it,” said Bucky as the call went straight to voicemail again. “Pick up, Shuri. Pick up.”

He cursed under his breath, and then made his way back into the restaurant. Nahemi could tell something was wrong by the dire expression on his face.

“I’m really sorry,” he offered. “Something’s come up with work. I have to go.”

“Of, course,” she replied. “Please, don’t worry about it. Go.”

“Raincheck?”

“Yes,” she replied with a smile, as he nodded and then rushed off back to the palace.

The dread that swirled around inside of him on the ride back was suffocating. Okoye confirmed that the Princess was not in her bedroom where she had left her a couple of hours ago. Shuri was still not answering her phone, and Bucky was sick with worry. He sped along until the palace came into sight. After exiting the vehicle, he broke into a sprint towards her quarters to investigate.

___

The spread of food was probably more than the Princess could eat. Shuri had made a large turkey sandwich, laid out a large bowl of popcorn, slice of chocolate mud cake, a bag of chips with dip, a bottle of chocolate milk and skittles. She did not know how she was going to carry everything, so found a server’s trolley and loaded it all on before heading back to her room.

Her eyes widened when she stepped into her bedroom to find Bucky frantically checking the windows.

“Shit, Bucky,” she said, placing her hand over her chest. “Don’t scare me like that, colonizer! What are you doing here?”

“Fuckin’ hell, Shuri,” he said, as he rushed over to her and grabbed hold of her shoulders. “Where have you been?”

He seemed to be checking her frame for injuries as she stood frozen in place while his hands roamed over her.

“Are you all right? I was worried sick.”

“Woah, woah,” she said. “I’m fine, Buck. What’s gotten into you? Aren’t you meant to be on a date?”

“I came because of your distress message,” he explained, as they both gave each other a confused stare.

“My what?” she asked. “What are you talking about?”

“In the chat thing,” he said, as he held up his phone and showed her. “You sent a message for help. Right there. _See_.”

She saw her post and then shook her head, before saying, “Oh, Bucky. I didn’t mean it like I was in trouble.”

“You wrote _send help.”_

“Yeah, as in send help I’m bored out of my brains,” she said. “It’s just something you say, like a joke. I wasn’t really in trouble. See, if you scroll down there are replies.”

She held the device out so that he could read how others had responded.

_Peter: Hey **@TheShuri**. What’s going on?_

_Tshepo: Everything good, Princess?_

_Peter: **@Tshepo1** what’s up, man?_

_Tshepo: Nothing much **@PeterP** just checking on my future ex-wife._

“See,” she said again. “It’s something you say. I’ll reply now. Watch.”

_Shuri: Hey guys. Sooooo bored. Got a snack now. What’s up?_

_Peter: Saw your message **@TheShuri**. Thought you’d be having movie night or something with **@BuckyWithTheGoodHair**?_

_Shuri: Ha! Doubtful **@BuckyWithTheGoodHair** dipped out on me and movie night. _

_Tshepo: Hey **@TheShuri** I’ll come over and take his place. _

_Shuri: He’s here now **@Tshepo1** so that’s a hard pass._

_Peter: Is that what you mean by ‘got a snack’ **@TheShuri**_

_Shuri: Stahp **@PeterP** he can see this. Watching me talk to you fools right now._

_Peter: Oh. Hey **@BuckyWithTheGoodHair.** How are you, sir?_

_Tshepo: Tell him he’d better be looking after my girl…_

_Shuri: First of all, I’m not your girl **@Tshepo1**. Secondly, **@PeterP** you don’t have to call him ‘sir’ or a snack, for that matter._

_Tshepo: Yeah, not yet Princess. Not yet **@TheShuri**_

_Peter: **@TheShuri** if he’s a snack, then I call him sir lmao_

“Look,” she said, showing Bucky the conversation. “Everything is fine. The guys say hello.”

He glanced at the screen, and shook his head a little at the username Shuri chose for him. He could not understand what they were talking about, but he took out his phone and replied.

_Bucky: Hello, boys. Thanks for coming to the Princess’s aid. As you were. I’ll take care of her now. Goodnight._

\---

The dramatic music of the film grew louder as it concluded, and shook Shuri from her brief slumber. She had dozed off somewhere toward the end. Her head rested on Bucky’s shoulder as he reached for the remote to turn it down.

“Sorry, Princess,” he said. “Didn’t want to wake you.”

She did not want to move from where she was curled up next to Bucky on her bed, but knew he’d be leaving now that the film had ended. She reluctantly sat up, and so did Bucky. They often spent movie nights like that in her personal quarters. It was quite natural for them to lie together on her bed. Bucky was always respectful of her space, but often allowed her to lean on him, or touch him in a familiar manner. They had never crossed the line with their proximity, even though they had both thought of it more than once.

“You can take the chips if you like,” she said as they cleared the food away.

“Thank you,” he said. “I’m still a little hungry. Didn’t get to the first course.”

“Shit,” she said. “I’m sorry, Buck. I didn’t want to ruin your date.”

“Don’t even mention it,” he replied. “We’ve, ah, ya know, rescheduled already.”

“Oh, that’s, umm, great,” said Shuri, trying to sound convincing.

“Yeah, Nahemi sent a message that I understood,” he joked. “We’ll try again.”

“Cool,” said Shuri. “I won’t bother you next time.”

“You’re never a bother to me, Shuri,” he offered gently. “And even if we get our wires crossed again, don’t you ever feel like you can’t reach out to me. I’ll always come for you, you know that, right?”

She gave him a sweet, grateful smile and then said, “I know.”

They stared at one another for a beat too long and then continued to clear the food away.

“Princess?”

“Yeah?”

“What did your friend mean when he called me a snack?” Bucky asked, and Shuri nearly choked on her breath.

“Oh, a snack? It’s, umm, it’s a compliment,” she explained poorly.

“That doesn’t make sense,” he said confused. “Did you say condiment or compliment?”

Shuri let out a laugh, “Bucky, you’re funny.”

“What?” he replied, unable to wipe the smile from his face at the sound of her laughter.

“I said com-pli-ment,” she supplied. “As in, saying something nice about someone.”

“Why is calling someone a snack a compliment?”

“Because it means you’re hot,” she blurted. “You’re handsome. You look good enough to eat.”

Bucky just stood staring at the Princess. His face had turned red, and she looked as if she wanted to crawl under the bed and hide. He did not even give it any thought before he asked his next question.

“Do you think I’m a snack?”

“I think you’re trying to get me in trouble,” she replied, before asking, “Do you think _I_ am a snack?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think,” he said, letting his head fall.

“That’s _all_ that matters,” she replied, which caused him to bring his eyes up to meet hers

“I don’t know. It’s not the word I’d use to describe you,” he finally said, and she felt like he had punched her in the stomach for a second. The discontent was etched all over her face. Noticing that his words had wounded her, he stepped a little closer, and then added, “I wouldn’t use it to describe you, Princess, because it isn’t adequate: I think you’re beautiful.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for reading and leaving feedback.

_Beautiful_ , she mused, happily. _He thinks I’m beautiful. Bea-u-ti-ful. Beautiful._

Shuri let the word flood the space around her; it filled the air and saturated her skin. It made her feel warm and giddy. Her tummy did little flips. Her lips turned into a little smile. Her Kimoyo Beads beeped –

_Damn it!_

Her Kimoyo Beads beeped to signal an incoming call.

“Excuse me a moment,” she said in way of an apology. “I should take this.”

Bucky nodded, and continued to clear the food away. His heart was racing. He had just admitted to the Princess that he thought she was beautiful. He had not meant to. It was not a good idea when they were alone in her quarters late at night. He just got carried away in the moment, and she had asked him. And who was he to deny the Princess of Wakanda a valid, truthful response when she sought one?

He was nobody, which is exactly why he should not be saying such things to the young woman, no matter how true they were. Things that were reserved for men with far better social standing; men of better breeding. Men who could offer her more. Men who could woo her and give her things in life that she deserved.

“Hey, I have to go down to the labs,” she said, drawing him from his self-reprimanding. “One of the biometric authentication user interfaces is glitching and they waited until _now_ to tell me.”

“Okay, let’s get going,” he said.

“You’ve had a long day, Buck,” she said. “I can get someone else to escort me –”

“That won’t be necessary,” he replied. “I’m here right now, I can take you. It’s no trouble, Princess.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure,” he said with a smile. “Come on, let’s go.”

___

“You spilled coffee at the workstation?” asked Shuri of one of the technicians. “This is why I don’t allow coffee near my equipment.”

Bucky looked on and shook his head in amusement. She could really be a hard ass when it was called for. He took a seat and watched her.

“Is that what’s causing the glitch?” she asked, as she pointed to the monitor. “Have you run diagnostics?”

“It isn’t what’s causing the glitch, thankfully. And we have, Princess, but there’s an incongruity in the code that’s erasing parts of the internal database,” a young woman explained.

“The biometric calibrations database?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” said Shuri with a sigh as she took a seat on one of the stools and brought up another holo-screen.

“I shit you, not,” the technician replied.

Shuri turned to Bucky and then said, “Sorry Buck; I’ll be here a while.”

“Do what you gotta do, Princess,” he replied. “I’ll wait for you.”

___

Shuri sent most of the technicians home, except for the one who spilled the coffee. His name was Mali and it was now his task to search how many people that worked in the palace needed their biometric data reconfigured. There were thirty-seven people all up. Bucky was one of them, so Shuri would get it done while they were there. If they had not caught the anomaly, he would not retain access to the palace.

He sat and waited while Shuri fixed the problem. He was ever impressed with her technical skill and focus. He had no idea what she was doing, but was impressed all the same. It was taking some time, so he decided to check the hour on his phone. There was an unread message that he must have missed while watching the movie. It was from Nahemi.

_Goodnight x,_ it read.

Bucky smiled down at the message, and then began to reply as he felt bad for not seeing it sooner.

_Sorry. I only just saw this. You have a goodnight too._

He sent it and then placed the phone back in his pocket. Suddenly, it vibrated. Another message came through.

_Nahemi: It’s late. You’re still up?_

_Bucky: Yes. Still working._

_Nahemi: Is everything OK? Was there an emergency?_

_Bucky: Everything is fine. Why are you still awake? Are you OK?_

_Nahemi: That’s good. And I’m OK. I’m awake because I was thinking about you._

Bucky felt a blush creep up his neck, as he smiled down at the screen. He did not know how to respond to that. He was still not the best at texting, let alone with texting a woman, but he was sure that Nahemi was flirting with him. There was only one way he _could_ respond, and that was to ask for clarification.

_Bucky: You’re thinking about me? What are you thinking?_

He stared at the message a while before he sent it.

_Nahemi: I was thinking about how you’re a nice guy and I can’t wait to go on our second date._

He grinned to himself and typed his response.

_Bucky: You’re nice too. And I sure am looking forward to seeing you again._

“Buck?” said Shuri. “You ready?”

He lifted his head and said, “Uh?”

“You ready for your scans?” she asked.

“Sure am,” he answered.

He walked over to where Shuri was as his phone vibrated in his hand. He checked the screen and read the message.

_Nahemi: Great. I should get some rest. Goodnight x_

He smiled at the phone, and Shuri gave him a questioning look.

“Bucky?”

“Sorry,” he said. “Let me just send this message.”

“You’re texting at this hour?” she queried, with a raised eyebrow. “Everyone you text, with the exception of Sam Wilson, is in this room.”

“It’s just Nahemi,” he replied. “Saying goodnight.”

“Oh,” said Shuri, feeling silly for bringing attention to the fact he was still texting the woman whose date was ruined because of her. “Nahemi. She’s up late.”

“Yeah.”

“ _Yeah.”_

“You know how it is,” said Bucky, not knowing _how it was_ himself or what that phrase was actually referring to.

“Sure, of course,” said Shuri. “Well, give her my apologies when you see her again.”

“No problem,” said Bucky as an awkwardness filled the room; Mali noticed and stood waiting with the biometric scanner.

“Mali,” said Shuri. “What’s the hold up?”

“Sorry, Princess,” he offered clumsily. “I was just was just waiting for the awkward moment to pass.”

Shuri shook her head and closed her eyes, “Please, just take the scans.”

___

 

The walk back to the palace was quiet. Shuri tried to stifle yawns as Bucky stayed alert. They reached her quarters close to two in the morning. He waited for her to unlock the door, and then step inside.

“So glad the scanners are working,” she said.

“Is that what you were doing?” he asked. “Fixing the scanners?”

“Kind of,” she replied. “We were mainly fixing the program that allows for them to work. You know how we had to scan your prints and your retina again?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, the glitch erased yours and other people’s data,” she explained. “Not sure if it was a breach in the system, but I’m running diagnostics as we speak. Either way, because of the glitch, we have to scan those who have been erased, again. Some people will show up to work tomorrow, and not have access to the palace. I’ve sent them all emails, of course. So, they will know to stop by the labs first for re-configuring.”

“You’re amazing,” he blurted out, causing her to smile.

“It’s nothing, really,” she replied as she blushed.

“Nah, it’s something, all right,” said Bucky. “I have to learn me some science.”

This caused her to beam brightly at him; he mirrored her wide smile.

“You want to learn science?” said Shuri.

“Yeah,” replied Bucky. “I wanna be able to help you.”

“You do help me.”

“Yeah, but I wanna be better at helping you,” he supplied. “Give me a weapon, and I can fight off intruders. I can run really fast, lift heavy things, and kick someone’s ass. But a breach in the system happens, and I’m sidelined. I’m useless.”

“You are _not_ useless, Bucky Barnes,” Shuri offered as she playfully shoved his shoulder. “You’re great just how you are. But if you want to up-skill and learn something about science and tech, then I’m your girl.”

He grinned at the Princess, nodded his head, and then said, “You sure are.”

An easy silence floated between them as they stood staring at one another. Shuri broke the silence.

“Thanks for everything tonight,” she offered.

“You’re welcome,” he replied.

“Okay, well it’s late, so, goodnight, Bucky,” said Shuri as she leaned in and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a warm embrace.

Bucky enveloped her tiny waist and drew her body close to his as he closed his eyes and whispered, “Goodnight, Princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should Bucky cancel his second date with Nahemi, and spend all of his time with Shuri 'learning science'? 
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts. Comments are what keep me going.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for posting the chapter so soon after the last one. I'll be too busy this weekend, and wanted to get the chapter posted now in case I can't get to a computer later. Thanks for the comments! They're very encouraging.

 

When you were part of the royal family, you grew accustomed to certain things. For Princess Shuri, from a young age, she always had people surrounding her. Teachers, nannies, tutors, guards, and others who were there to nurture and protect her. She barely recalled a time when she had a moment to herself. After completing her secondary and tertiary education, and stepping into her role as Chief Scientist, she found that she had _less_ time to herself.

Her labs were always full of other scientists working away. Whenever she was traveling, or attending a diplomatic event, she had a security detail that consisted of members of the Dora Milaje. When she was fulfilling duties as Princess of Wakanda, she was surrounded by Council members. Shuri cherished the time she had to herself when no one was demanding her attention. But with heightened security at the present time, the Princess found herself with a constant shadow: Either a Dora, or the White Wolf himself.

There was a difference between Bucky and the Dora Milaje when they were guarding the Princess. If Ayo or Aneka were tasked with watching after Shuri, they would stand guard at the door of her lab, affording her time to herself while she worked. Bucky Barnes, however, always stayed in close proximity to the Princess.

He would take up a spot inside the lab and watch her work while staying alert. He found it fascinating to observe her processes. He admired her concentration, and how animated she would be, forgetting that she was not alone. She played music and moved around the lab as if she were floating or dancing. She was in her element there, at her most comfortable, and Bucky thought it was a rare privilege for him to witness her that way.

Four days had passed since he had seen the Princess. Okoye and Ayo were watching over Shuri while the members of the North American envoy toured the research labs and were treated to a talk from her. Bucky had some spare time, so he and Nahemi arranged a lunch date. They had just finished their meals, and were getting a drink, when a notification came through on his phone. He excused himself, and said he needed to check it. He found that it was the group chat and the message was from the Princess. He scanned the thread quickly to see if she was all right, then something caught his attention.

_Shuri: Presentation went well. I killed it!_

_Tshepo: I knew you would **@TheShuri** you’re amazing._

_Shuri: Aww thank you **@Tshepo1**_

_Tshepo: I bet you had those Americans eating out of your hand._

_Shuri: Lol I did okay._

_Tshepo: Don’t be modest._

_Shuri: Not being modest. Just saying I did okay._

_Tshepo: You have no idea the kind of effect you have on people do you **@TheShuri**? _

_Shuri: Yeah, yeah **@Tshepo1** I get it. I’m awesome. _

_Tshepo: You’re more than awesome **@TheShuri** and I wish I was closer to Birnin Zana _

_Shuri: Thanks **@Tshepo1** and what would you do if you were here? Steal my thunder?_

_Tshepo: As if anyone could. But if I were there, I’d ask you out **@TheShuri**_

_Shuri: You ask me out all the time already **@Tshepo1** lol _

_Tshepo: True, but if I was there you might actually say yes._

_Shuri: Mmm guess we’ll never know then since you live so far away_

_Tshepo: I should apply for the exchange program, that’s what I should do!_

_Shuri: You should **@Tshepo**! That would be amazing. **@PeterP** should as well. How cool would that be? The three of us here together? Me teaching you both a thing or two about STEM._

_Tshepo: We’ll have to find a babysitter or something to keep **@PeterP** busy because I want you all to myself._

_Shuri: Suffering Sekhmet, you are so bad **@Tshepo1**!_

_Tshepo: You have no idea how bad I can be Princess._

“Bucky?” said Nahemi. “Bucky? Is everything all right?”

“Uh?” he replied, drawing his attention from the screen and looking at his lovely date. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said.”

“I said did you want to order some drinks now?” she asked as he placed the phone back in his pocket.

“Yes, thanks,” he said, slightly distracted by the vibrating of the notifications coming through; slightly irritated by the nature of the conversation he had read. “That’d be great.”

He felt another buzz and could not help himself. He took the phone out and read the exchange. He felt like he was prying, but something inside urged him to read on. There was more flirting from the one known as Tshepo, and Shuri was playing it cool, but the last couple of messages made Bucky feel irritated even more than before.

_Tshepo: Never say never, Princess_

_Shuri: You talk a big game. You’d freeze if you ever got the chance to ask me out in person_

_Tshepo: Lmao well then give me the chance to prove you wrong._

_Shuri: Haha. You’re cute **@Tshepo1**_

_Tshepo: And you’re beautiful –_

“Bucky? Is it something to do with work?” asked Nahemi. “Because if you have to go –”

“No, no,” he replied, placing his phone back in his pocket. “It’s nothin’. Sorry, it’s away now, and I won’t look at it again. You’ve got my full attention.” He gave his date a sweet smile and then fought the urge to retrieve his phone when it buzzed again.

___

“General, can I talk to you for a minute?” asked Bucky.

“Yes, Sergeant, but you will need to walk and talk,” replied Okoye. “What’s on your mind?”

“I was just wondering about something to do with the Princess’ security, and general security of the Kingdom,” he said as they walked side-by-side.

“What about it?”

“The group chat thing she uses,” he said. “How secure is it?”

“It’s the Princess’ own design,” Okoye replied. “State of the art security encryption. If someone was trying to infiltrate it, Princess Shuri would know. It is her own personal application. Not open to the public like other social media.”

“Right,” said Bucky, not sure if he had asked the correct question as the answer did not put his mind at ease. He approached it in a different way. “And the people in the chat thing, they’re her friends?”

“Yes,” said Okoye. “As Head of Security, I had to screen them, of course. But they are her friends.”

“She knows them personally?”

“Yes.”

“How well does she know this Tshepo guy?” asked Bucky, trying to mask his distaste for the flirtatious young man.

“They spent a semester together abroad at boarding school in France when she was a child,” said Okoye. “Since both were from the Continent, and royalty, they formed a friendship that persisted.”

“He’s royalty?” asked Bucky, surprised by this information.

“Yes, Sergeant. Prince Tshepo is heir apparent to the Kingdom of Lesotho,” Okoye explained. “Tell me, is there a reason why you have taken a sudden interest in him?”

She came to an abrupt halt and then raised a curious eyebrow in his direction.

“Has he done or said something to cause you to be suspicious?”

“No,” he offered. “No, I just noticed the Princess spends a lot of time using the application. I wanted to make sure we’re covering all of our bases with our security measures.”

“The Princess is not a helpless damsel,” Okoye reminded him. “She is a discerning, intelligent young woman. She will be fine.”

He nodded his head in agreement.

“But I thank you for your extra attention,” said Okoye. “Now, was that all?”

“Yes,” Bucky replied. “Thank you, General.”

___

 

“Can you please check the names of the people who were erased last night to a list of current palace employees,” said Shuri.

“Yes, Your Highness,” said Mali, before asking, “Has something else happened?”

“No,” Shuri replied. “I just had this thought. Like, what if there _was_ a breach in the system, and erasing the data of staff meant that _other_ names could be added, and then those new name people would be scanned and entered, and then we’d have people who we basically gave access to who were never properly cleared in the first place.”

Mali stared at her a moment, before speaking up.

“Princess, please don’t take this the wrong way, but have you had much sleep lately?” asked Mali.

“Not really,” she admitted. “Why, does my theory sound crazy?”

“Not at all,” he answered. “It’s quite plausible, but the names would need to be added manually since the database isn’t connected to external systems. And you and I are the only ones who were here to remedy the problem.”

“You’re right,” she replied. “I wasn’t thinking clearly. I didn’t get home until well past two o’clock.”

“I offer apologies, Your Highness,” he said. “We really should have come to you sooner. We just didn’t want to appear to be incompetent in front of you.”

“I don’t fault anyone on the team, Mali,” said Shuri. “But if there is a complication and one needs help to fix it, then one must put their pride aside and ask for help.”

“Wise words,” Mali replied. “So, Princess, I wanted to offer to buy you a coffee to say sorry for spilling coffee at the work station.”

“Oh, no,” said Shuri. “That is not necessary, and we are _not_ bringing coffee into the labs again.”

Mali let out a little chuckle, and then smiled at the Princess.

“No, no, you misunderstand me,” he supplied. “Please allow me to take you somewhere, away from the labs, and buy you a coffee, as a way to apologize for my clumsiness.”

“You want to take me out for coffee?” she questioned.

“Yes, I want to take you out; somewhere in the city center,” he said smilingly. “Or at the market place. Or somewhere of your choosing.”

Shuri raised her eyebrows. She was quite surprised by the offer, but a little flattered. But then she thought that Mali could not possibly be asking her out. They were colleagues, and he had never shown any type of interest in her before in the short time he had worked there. Maybe he really did feel bad about breaking the no-coffee-rule. Maybe this was genuinely his way of saying sorry. Shuri found herself to be overthinking again. She shook her head a little, and then gave Mali a smile.

“Thank you for the offer,” she said. “I would love to get coffee with you.”

___

“Greetings, Dream Team,” said Okoye with a bright smile as she stepped into security headquarters. Ayo, Aneka, and Bucky all replied warmly to the General. “Who is free this afternoon?”

Bucky remained quiet; he had hoped to have the afternoon off so that he could catch up with Nahemi. She had invited him to her home so that she could cook for him. He was pleased when his colleague spoke up.

“I may have a few hours free,” said Ayo. “What did you need, General?”

“The Princess is going to the city center and needs an escort,” said Okoye.

“She doesn’t have anything scheduled,” said Aneka, as she checked her Kimoyo Beads for Shuri’s timetable.

“She’s going for coffee,” said Okoye.

“What does she want?” asked Ayo. “I can go and get it for her. She doesn’t need to go to the trouble of venturing into the city center.”

“She is not placing an order,” Okoye replied. “She’s going to _have_ coffee at one of the cafés. Apparently, a young man asked her to accompany him.”

Bucky’s ears pricked up at the news.

“Like a date?” asked Aneka.

“Yes, indeed,” said Okoye. “A date.”

“You ran a background check on this _young man_?” asked Bucky, suddenly interested.

“Sergeant Barnes, this is not, as you Americans say, my first rodeo,” said Okoye, not offended by his question, more amused at his overprotectiveness of the Princess. She had taken note of how he looked at Shuri. There was something else behind his stare. His concern for her went beyond duty.

“Sorry, Boss,” he replied. “Just making sure we know who this guy is.”

“Briefing notes on him have already been sent to your Beads,” said Okoye. “Now, who wants to play chaperone?”

___

“What are you doing, Barnes?” asked Shuri as she watched her guard take a seat at the table next to the one she sat at.

“I’m your bodyguard, and you’re on a date,” he supplied, a little dryly. “I have to be out of your way.”

“Nonsense,” said Shuri. “Mali isn’t even here yet, so you can sit with me until her arrives.”

She smiled at him and he could not say no to her, so he rose slowly, and then took a seat across from her. He took in her appearance: She looked extra nice. Her braids were plaited together to the right, and draped over her shoulder. She wore an ivory colored sundress that hugged her tiny frame and sat strikingly against her dark skin. Bucky never really listened to those stories from when he was a kid at Sunday school, but he thought to himself in that moment that angels must look just like her: Radiant and lovely. He discreetly let his eyes wander over her slender shoulders, and then across her clavicle, before resting just at the rise of her breast. He quickly averted his gaze, and then cleared his throat.

“You want something to drink?” she asked, noticing that he had become quite flustered.

“No, thank you,” he replied. “I’m fine. Did you want something?”

“Oh, no, thanks,” she offered. “I’ll wait until Mali gets here.”

She checked the time on her phone again, as did Bucky. He saw a message from Nahemi, but quickly swiped it off of his screen: He was on the job and was to carry himself in a professional manner. Though, he was finding it difficult to remain professional when Shuri was sat directly in front of him looking like a renaissance painting.

“You look lovely,” he said, with a nod of his head.

“Thank you, Buck,” she said as a beam brightened her face.

“This Mali’s a lucky guy,” he added. “Real lucky.”

“It’s just a coffee date,” she said, trying to brush it off. Her skin felt warm from the way Bucky was staring at her. His eyes bore into hers. The intensity caused her to look away.

“Still,” Bucky added. “He sure is lucky.”

___

The walk to the Princess’ room was quiet, and slightly awkward. She tried to play it off like it was not of much importance, but Bucky knew that she was upset. He knew that she was disappointed and embarrassed. They reached her door, and she unlocked it, before moving to step inside. He gently caught her by the elbow so that she stopped and turned.

“You sure you’re gonna be okay?” he asked, gently.

“Yeah,” she said, with a weak smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s cool. It was just coffee. So what if he stood me up? It wasn’t a thing. It was –”

“It was rude of him,” said Bucky. He was furious that her date never showed up. He didn’t even bother to send a message to say he was not coming. “You’re special, and he should treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”

“Ugh, I just feel so stupid,” she said, letting her frustrations out. “It’s fucking embarrassing, Buck. I don’t even know why I agreed, I don’t even –”

“Shhhh,” said Bucky as he drew her into a soft embrace. She pressed the side of her face against his firm chest, and he rested his chin on top of her head. She looked so small nestled against his broad body, but she felt safe. “He’s a silly little boy. And truth be told, there’ll be a bunch of silly little boys in your future linin’ up to date you,” he whispered. “Just remember that their failure to treat you right isn’t a reflection of your worth. You’re worth more than they could even begin to know. You’re special, Shuri, and one day, someone’s gonna come along and sweep you off your feet. They’ll love you and treat you like the angel you are. And they’ll spend the rest of _their_ days reminding you of how special you are _every_ _single_ _day_.”

Shuri lifted her head and pulled away from Bucky a little. She caught his gaze and then said, “You promise?”

“Yeah,” he replied, as he pulled her close to him once more. “I promise.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading the last chapter. I appreciate the comments and kudos. They keep me motivated.

It was nice to put the technology away and just play a game of cards, Shuri mused as she and Bucky sat on her bed. She couldn’t remember the last time she laughed as much as she did when she quickly got the hang of the game he called Crazy Eights. He was quite competitive, not going easy on her in the first couple of rounds. However, once she was used to it, she soon started to beat him.

“This game is crazy-fun,” she said, almost breathlessly from laughing. “Crazy-simple, but fun. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” he replied. “Y’know, I used to play a lot of cards when I was away at war.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he said with a sad kind of smile. “See, people think that war is a lot of fighting and dying. That’s true, because a lot of that happens. But, there’s a lot of sittin’ around and waiting.”

“I never really considered that,” said Shuri.

“Most people don’t,” said Bucky. “They think it’s how it is in the movies. Heroism and a lotta action. That happens, too, but it’s mainly waiting. Waiting for the next directive. Waiting for the supplies or reinforcements to arrive. Waiting for the whole damn thing to end. I learned to play a lotta different card games while we were waiting.”

“Why’d you only show me this one?” she asked, truly intrigued by him and how misplaced he really was.

“I don’t know,” he said with a smile. “Thought you might like it since it’s fun.”

“I do,” she replied. “But then again, anything with you is fun.”

They shared a sweet smile just as Bucky felt his phone vibrate. He retrieved it, and saw a message from Nahemi.

“Shit,” he said, as he typed a reply. “I gotta get goin’.”

“Is everything okay?” asked Shuri, suddenly concerned.

“Yeah,” he supplied. “I forgot I had to be somewhere.”

“Oh, well don’t let me keep you,” said Shuri as she began to pack the cards away. She stacked them neatly, and then held them out to Bucky as he stood.

“Nah, keep ‘em here,” he replied. “I’ll show you some more games some other time.”

Shuri smiled, and then said, “I’d like that.”

The pair shared a kindly embrace before Bucky left her chambers. Shuri sat back down on her bed and let out a little sigh. She had already pushed aside the disappointment and embarrassment of Mali standing her up. She felt safe, warm, and cared for after Bucky had stayed with her. She missed him as soon as he was gone.

___

It was dark when Bucky arrived at Nahemi’s place apologizing profusely for being late for their date. She did not end up cooking for him, and told him it was quite all right if he didn’t drop by; she understood how busy he could be working for at the Palace.  Still, he was adamant that he wanted to see her. After spending the rest of the afternoon with Shuri upon seeing how disappointed she was at being stood up, he could not go and do the same thing to Nahemi.

They sat beside one another on her sofa as Bucky listened to her recount her day.

“I actually saw you today,” she admitted.

“Really?” he asked. “Where?”

“In the city,” she replied. “I wanted to say hi, but you were with the Princess, so I didn’t want to be bothersome.”

“It would’ve been okay to say a quick hello,” he reassured. “Princess Shuri wouldn’t mind. She’s not the type of person who thinks anyone is a bother. She’s really sweet, actually.”

He glanced upwards and let out a little sigh. The corner of his mouth turned up into a smile as he thought of Shuri’s gentle nature and kind heart. Nahemi watched him curiously as he continued to speak of the Princess.

“She may be royalty, but she doesn’t treat people like she’s any better than them,” said Bucky. “She’s got a good heart; kind and generous. And she’s down-to-earth, y’know? Really funny, too. And smart. Boy, is she smart.”

“Well, you seem like you’re a huge fan of the Princess,” said Nahemi. “I wonder if she holds you in such high esteem.”

“She respects all of her people,” he replied, suddenly realizing that he was speaking about Shuri _too_ much. He was, as it were, telling on himself. 

“You’re her people?”

“Yes,” said Bucky proudly. “One hundred percent. Even before I was given Wakandan citizenship.”

“And that’s all it is?” asked Nahemi. “Just you being a good citizen, when you speak of her like this?”

“Like what?” he asked, with his brow furrowed, worried that he had been found out.

“Like you have feelings for her.”

Bucky’s eyes went wide and he swallowed hard, before clearing his throat.

“I’m here with you,” he managed to say, ignoring the question he was sure he could not answer without upsetting someone.

Nahemi raised an eyebrow, noting his non-answer, but still smiled as she moved closer to Bucky.

“So, does that mean you like me?”

“I do,” he replied, as she ran her hand up and down his arm.

“Well,” she said, as she leaned in to place a kiss to his lips. “I like you, too.”

 

___

“We’ve done some preliminary investigating, and it looks like he was attacked,” said Okoye, just as Bucky made his way into Shuri’s lab.

“Sorry, Boss,” he said, as his eyes immediately found the Princess looking quite shaken. “I came as quick as I could.”

“Sergeant Barnes,” said Okoye. “I was just telling the others what had happened here in the lab today.”

He gravitated toward Shuri and took up a seat beside her.

“The technician, Mali, was found unconscious here,” Okoye explained. “He was taken to the Infirmary and treated for a concussion. It seems that he was struck by someone from behind and left on the floor.”

“Is he okay?” asked Bucky, as he glanced sideways at the Princess.

“A little shaken, but he will be fine,” said Okoye. “We have checked the security footage, and it has been tampered with.”

“Tampered with?” asked Bucky.

“The section that should have shown the assault was erased,” said Okoye.

“Was he the target?” asked Bucky. 

While crime in Wakanda existed, it was not common that people were attacked at the Palace. They were all very surprised by the incident.

“Do you think the attack was meant for me?” asked Shuri suddenly; all eyes turned to her.

“The attacker did not steal anything from your colleague, Princess,” said Okoye. “They may have been after his phone, but since it was damaged in the altercation, they may not have wanted it anymore. But seeing as the security footage was deleted, I would say there is something else afoot, here, other than a robbery gone wrong.”

“Is it possible they _were_ after the Princess?” asked Bucky. “I mean, he was attacked in her lab. What if the intruder was looking for her? How did they even get in here?”

“We have a lot of questions that need answering,” said Okoye. “Sergeant Barnes, you stay with the Princess while Ayo and I investigate further.”

 

_____

 

Shuri was quiet, which was unlike her. She and Bucky stayed in her lab as she tried to figure out if the attack had anything to do with the glitch; she knew they had to be connected. It was too much of a coincidence that both had happened in the short amount of time for them not to be. She ran a program through her systems in the hope she would detect something to explain what on earth was happening; it would search for the missing footage, and for any recent changes to the systems. While it was working and she waited for the results, she sat back and stared at nothing in particular.

“Are you okay?” Bucky asked gently, shaking her from her thoughts. “You’re quiet.”

“Sorry,” she offered, as she turned to face him. “Just have a lot on my mind right now.”

He walked toward her, before sitting on the stool directly in front of her.

“Hey,” he said gently. “It’s okay to be worried. What happened to Mali was a scary thing.”

“I know,” she replied. “I’m so glad he is all right. I hate to think he was hurt because someone was after me.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Bucky, as he stared into her eyes. “If you were the true target, Mali was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“If I _am_ the target, I have to sleep with one eye open –”

“Not when I’m around,” Bucky said, as Shuri held his gaze. The sincerity in his eyes made her feel warm. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll keep you safe, okay?”

“Okay,” she said with a smile, before standing and moving closer to Bucky. “Thank you.”

She leaned in and they shared a hug. It was firm and soothing. Having his strong arms wrapped around her made Shuri feel safe. She pulled back a little, but kept her arms draped over his shoulders; he kept his hands placed at her back. They stared at one another for a beat; the silence between them was comfortable. It felt so natural to be holding each other and Bucky forgot that he was on duty, tasked with being her bodyguard, not holding her body so close to his that he could feel her heat mingling with his own.

“Are you gonna try another date with Mali?” he asked, before he could stop himself as pangs of jealousy prodded at him.  

Shuri shook her head and said, “No.”

“It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t make it.”

“I know, but I don’t want to date him,” she admitted. “I can’t date him.”

“Why not?” asked Bucky, as he instinctively glanced down at her lips, before meeting her eyes again.

“Because I have feelings for someone else,” she said, as low as a whisper.

“Yeah?” asked Bucky, with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah,” she said, as she used her fingers to brush Bucky’s hair from his face. “And it’s not fair on Mali if I date him when my heart just isn’t in it.”

Bucky closed his eyes a moment and nodded his head in agreement.

“It’s not fair if I use him so I don’t think about the person I really want to be with,” she added.

“Who do you really wanna be with?” he asked quietly, his heart beating wildly in his chest as he got caught up in the moment.

Shuri summoned all of her courage and then leaned forward. She pressed a soft kiss to Bucky’s lips. The kiss was slow at first, but when Shuri deepened it, Bucky met her attentions with the same eagerness. He pulled her closer to him and parted her lips further with his tongue. He moaned into her mouth when she pressed herself against him. Bucky trailed his hands southward past her backside, before grasping her legs and lifting her easily. They broke their kiss for one breathless moment as Shuri straddled his lap and claimed his lips with hers once more. His hands held her hips in place while she threaded hers through his hair. When she shifted on his lap, and brushed against his rapidly growing arousal, a low growl escaped his throat. He was so enraptured by the feeling of having the Princess touch and kiss him, that he was slightly shocked when she suddenly pulled away.

“Sorry,” she said softly, as she tried to climb from his lap; her voice was low, doused with arousal. Her lips were swollen. She looked almost ethereal to him. He held her tight, not wanting her removed from his embrace. He kissed her neck as he drew her back to himself.

“Bucky,” she said, weak and pleadingly.

“Mmm?” he offered by way of an answer as he licked and sucked near her collarbone.

“The results,” she said, breathlessly as she tried to stifle a moan. “I have to check the results.”

Reluctantly, he stopped his ministrations, and then glanced at the monitor; that is when the beeping sound registered with him.

“Sorry,” he said, loosening his grip on the Princess. “That was, uh – that was _wow._ ”

“Yeah,” she replied, still sitting on top of him. “It was.”

She then gave him an apologetic look as she slid from his lap, offered him a somewhat coy smile, and then turned to check her monitor.

Bucky discreetly adjusted himself in his pants, as Shuri read the results; she was much more composed than he was. He did not know how she could focus right at that moment. His head was swimming, his skin was scorched, his heart was racing, and there was the small matter of the not-so-small bulge straining against his pants. He wondered how he had ever gone so long without touching Shuri.

“Shit!” she finally said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“What is it?” he asked, shifting closer and placing his hand to the small of her back.

She turned to face him, and then said, “There _has_ been a breach in the system.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> What will she say to that? Maybe she will crawl under the bed and hide. 
> 
> Comments are like air in my very lungs.


End file.
